Sudan, South Sudan sign deal on cross-border arrangements
September 18, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan and South Sudan have signed an agreement to monitor their shared borders and open crossing points a few days after Khartoum said it was experiencing an influx of southerners returning to the north.
Hussein told reporters that ten crossing points would be opened along the 2,200 km borders, which remain partially un-demarcated even after South Sudan gained full independence in July this year.
The deal comes amid rising tension between the ex-war foes after fighting erupted in Sudan’s borders states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile between the country’s army and combatants who fought alongside southerners during the civil war.
Sudan accuses the South of supporting its erstwhile allies in the two states, a charge Juba denies.
Hussein revealed that 300 monitoring teams consisting of six individuals from north Sudan army, six from the southern army and six Ethiopian peacekeepers would oversee cross-border arrangements and investigate any violation on the ground.
According to the Sudanese minister, the crossing points would be devoid of the northern and southern army.
Sudan says that 80 percent of the administrative borders with the south had been defined. The South recently accused Khartoum of blocking trade routes to the south, saying the action had led to increasing prices of fuel and basic commodities.
The two sides agreed on Sunday to meet next month, after consultations by a joint technical committee with the members of border demarcation, to decide where to locate the ten crossing points.
“This agreement will strengthen the exchange between the two people … We don’t see any conflicts,” Hussein said
For his part, John Kong Nyuon described the relations between the two countries as improving and important, adding that “without border security citizens won’t be happy.”
Southerners “returning” to the north
Meanwhile, Sudan has claimed that dozens of southern Sudanese families had been returning to the north.
The governor of Sudan’s southern state of White Nile Youssef al-Shambali reported to the US-funded Sudan Radio Service (SRS) on Friday that these families are returning on daily basis and for unknown reasons.
“Between 40 to 45 South Sudanese families and not individuals, to the north generally, not only to White Nile State alone. They are on their way back to Khartoum and to different states in Sudan for reasons best known to them. That is what we are experiencing,” he said.
In response, South Sudan Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin told SRS that those southerners were going back to retrieve their belongings which Khartoum did not allow them to carry across the borders.
“These people are going back to bring their dues that have been blocked and delayed by Sudan government. They (Sudan government) refused to allow them come back to South Sudan with their dues and their own belongings. They have to go back to bring their dues. They just want to hide the truth without admitting the real reasons behind their returning,” the minister said.
(ST)
Muorter Majok
Sudan, South Sudan sign deal on cross-border arrangements
40-50 families returning to the North is a normal number, and for people who spent most of their adult lives in North Sudan, it won’t be ( and shouldn’t expected to be) easy.
The reality is;the north will make a big deal out of even one single Southerner returning to the North, its their only way of a “Pay-back” to our decision to part ways.
MINDED.DUDE
Sudan, South Sudan sign deal on cross-border arrangements
Dinka,
Nuer,
Shulluk.
what do you want from Northern sudan????
you foolish tribes in south sudan bring shame all the communities of southen sudan.
what do you want from Arabs??? salt?
Tell us..
pabaak
Sudan, South Sudan sign deal on cross-border arrangements
RSS should be cautious this time about opening the border, specially the import of goods from the North, there are reports of alleged contaminated foods in Darfur that led to the death of many people, this is according to the report of AL-Rakoba online newspaper, 09-17-2011, it will be better to have food safety measures in place before rushing importing goods from here. it will also be imperatively important for RSS to establish the food safety measures to examine any imported food from the neighbors, if there are no such measures then it will be really difficult to protect our population form harmful diseases.
Konan
Sudan, South Sudan sign deal on cross-border arrangements
“THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING BACK TO BRING THEIR DUES” Why don’t you admit it man, these people are coming back because the GoSS failed to provide food and security or any kind of decent living condition to its population. How come an entire family (normally a southern family consists of more than 15 members) is coming to collect its dues!!!! Admit it man and stop telling lies, these people are coming to stay in Sudan not as second class citizen as you told them before but as refugees. I believe the GoS should not allow them to stay in our capital or major towns. They should be placed in refugee camps until they go back home. Prices of food and all other essential commodities are already skyrocketing and we are not in need of more people from neighboring countries especially the useless people of Republic of South Sudan.
Abraham Lueth
Sudan, South Sudan sign deal on cross-border arrangements
Man, you don,t understand things completely ,Becuase you could have not continue blaming entire dinka and Nuer that they they one going back to North, you did not hear from the Ministry of Information that they go back to Khartoum to collect their belongings whic were detained by Arabs ,Itis not becuase they want to stay in Khartoum itis becuase they have so Many things such plots, cars, and so many things that they may need to sell and come back with money to start costructing their houses in thier Motherland .
Therefore, We shouold not accused one another by going back to North, It does not means that if go back to Khartoum you are Arabs.
Abraham5
Wanibuluk Ciciliba
Sudan, South Sudan sign deal on cross-border arrangements
All these urgumentative comments here indicates that there are still thousands of those who do not understand the virtues that both north and the South are alligned to co exist and that one thing will still bring us together one time one decade to come, I mean a peaceful coexisitance notreuniting the two Countries but that cross boarder intermixing will show it. What about all these insults on the page that is accessible to all kinds of people being a foreigner or local, Why do we ringe our dirts in cup used by avery body; You can’t unvail what is underneeth your mother in the public.
Talk sense that can help others through the page. Khartoum is a wonderful place yes but also it can become like Haiti and then you start from the ground Zero and what would you say of it. Juba is coming to be the most fantablous place to live too so we welcome people from all corner.
SSLA supporter
Sudan, South Sudan sign deal on cross-border arrangements
Right move! we need to be good and peaceful to one another for the sake of our innocent civilians who are paying a very expensive bill of all those senseless or hopeless proxy wars between RSS and Sudan. Keep the good relations between our one people of Sudan!!
SSLA supporter
Sudan, South Sudan sign deal on cross-border arrangements
Konan!!
Southerners are not useless as you stupidly put it! we have many Sudanese living and working in South Sudan but we are not stupid like you to regard them as refugee in their second home in RSS because we know that the division of Sudan was just meant for political consumption by the SPLM and NCP and nothing more or less! that is to say, is the country that has been divided but not the people and animals who live there!!
RSS is full of resources and it is Sudan that will benefit most from them because we regard sudanese as our people no matter what but only myopic people of your kind here and there that will make the vast majority of Sudanese people to think twice……. get it right budy
acuil deng
Sudan, South Sudan sign deal on cross-border arrangements
@jalaby
We are a sovereign African country, we are not under sanction or blocade, unless you are talking about “Gaza”. When Torit rebelled, “Pagan Amom” was not born. South Sudan made a choice and that should be respected. In the mean time, we can be good neighbors. South Sudan is open to the world, and can do business with the Arab world as well as with the West. Build your country while we build our own, we reached the point of no-return. Let’ us work together to solve our differences, then move on. We are happy with our new country and you should with yours. There are open minded people in the South and also in the Norh, let these people do the job rather than wasting our time trading accusations.
ater kuot
Sudan, South Sudan sign deal on cross-border arrangements
look brothers,whether you are from the north or the south,i would like you to think carefully,seperation from the north it mean the development of the south,lets respect each others as brothers,what ever pass we are not going back to it but let us focus for the development of our countries whether north or south,becaus the war has taken alot from us,and i belive that you brothers who are on this side are all youth,but let look at ourselfe now,what do we have,or lets us compare our countries to other african countries,it so regretful.
Cadaai ?o?
Sudan, South Sudan sign deal on cross-border arrangements
Historian and Identity Advocacy View:
In my personal view, I think North Sudan government needs to give other people their rights based on mutual respects. These regions of Abyei, South Kordufan, Blue Nile and Darfur are in need of rights to freedom of democracy in anyway possible. Because in North Sudan I don’t see where our former brothers and sisters in North Sudan would be able to control those regions responsibly without allow them to choose their own destinations or identity. Also, I think Northern Sudanese are still behind old days of politics where people use to give up easily. North Sudan, things are dramatically changing nowadays to different views towards new world system of choices. That’s just piece of my advise to our former brothers and sisters in North Sudan.
To conclude my point, hello president Beshir, would you please leave my brothers and sisters of Abyei alone. If it is oil why you refuse them to come to South Sudan, to me that’s just a simple reason my former president. Your country of Northern Sudan has a lot of oil if your Administration would be able manage it well in regards to your people you represents. So please Mr. president Beshir leave Abyei for South Sudanese’ because I couldn’t see the reason why you take hostages of our people.Just let them come to South Sudan like what you have done to South Sudan few months back.
Mr. Beshir, I am looking forward for your leadership based on truth and understandings of other people rights. Abyei people in North Sudan would be like someone mixing grains with sand when it comes to this people identity and history background shows where they should be.
“Peaceful way is always better deserving to people than bloodshed way of precious bloods through wrong reason.”